Although I was sad to say goodbye to all my friends and family in Wales I was excited as I was moving to a different city and i had heard so many good things about Izmir. The big plus for me was that Izmir is located on the coast, and this is one of the big things I was missing in Ankara. Because of the location this would also mean milder winters, so no more -20 degrees Celsius for me again!! Izmir is the third biggest city in Turkey (after Istanbul and Ankara), with a population of approximately 3.5 million, so in comparison to North Wales it's huge, but it's smaller than Ankara.
I had never been to Izmir when I made the decision to accept a job there, but I had faith in my friends who were telling me so many positives about it.
I arrived at night and was taken straight to my hotel so I didn't get a chance to see the city until the following morning and I was impressed with what I saw. The city is quite clean, the air feels really clean, thanks to the proximity to the sea, there are palm trees everywhere and the and the city has a relaxed vibe about it. It feels a lot smaller than Ankara, and there is a lot less traffic (and a lot less beeping of the horn).
The city has a lot of tourists especially along the seafront when there is a cruise ship in the port.
Public transport is easy to use and efficient, and I especially like the frequent ferries to different parts of the city.
I'm really looking forward to exploring the city and seeing what the area has got to offer, and of course tasting the local cuisine. So far I have discovered the cig kofte is the best I have ever tasted!
